LONG POND, Pa. — Layne Riggs capped among the finest race weekends of his younger profession, claiming his first pole place then main the ultimate 20 laps of Friday’s MillerTech Battery 200 to take his first NASCAR Craftsman Truck Collection victory of the season within the opening race of a NASCAR tripleheader weekend at Pocono Raceway.
Riggs’ No. 34 Entrance Row Motorsports Ford beat TRICON Storage driver Tanner Grey to the checkered flag by a wholesome 3.64-seconds delivering the younger star his third profession collection win.
Riggs had been quick all day and was operating second to championship chief Corey Heim coming to a restart with 19 laps to go solely to have Heim’s No. 11 Toyota endure a flat tire simply as the sphere was about to take the inexperienced flag.
Simply after Heim pulled off the monitor for a fast tire change, NASCAR Cup Collection driver and former Truck Collection common Carson Hocevar moved his No. 7 truck ahead and into the lead on the restart – however was handed a penalty for the transfer.
Riggs because the second-place automobile, was the “management” automobile when Heim pit – not Hocevar – and Riggs assumed the lead for good when Hocevar pit with 18 laps remaining to serve the stop-and-go penalty for his restart violation.
“That’s only a testomony to this group, that factor was unhealthy quick particularly that final run proper there,” stated Riggs, the 23-year-old son of former NASCAR Cup Collection standout Scott Riggs.
“I actually hate the 11 [Heim] fell out and unsure what the seven [Hocevar] was doing on the restart there, however made positive to make the most of it.
“However, hey, I’m a cheerful man proper now. … this isn’t what I had circled. Final 12 months we wrecked in follow, didn’t qualify and ran lifeless final all day. And at present we have been the perfect. It’s wonderful.”
For a lot of the early race – earlier than the tire downside – it appeared the season’s four-race winner Heim would primarily flip in a repeat efficiency of his work a 12 months in the past on the 2.5-mile Pocono monitor when he swept each levels and gained the race. Heim did lead a race greatest 48 of the 90 laps and set an all-time collection document claiming his twelfth stage win.
However to his credit score, Riggs – who additionally took a stage win – saved Heim sincere all day. And that’s what put him in place to capitalize.
Kaden Honeycutt, who began on the entrance row alongside Riggs, completed third within the No. 45 Niece Motorsports Chevrolet. Brandon Jones within the No. 1 TRICON Storage Toyota and former NASCAR Xfinity Collection champion Daniel Hemric within the No. 19 McAnally-Hilgemann Racing Chevrolet rounded out the highest 5.
Rookie Connor Mosack, Riggs’ teammate Chandler Smith, Stewart Friesen, reigning collection champion Ty Majeski and Rajah Caruth accomplished the highest 10.
Heim rallied to a Twenty third-place end and leads Riggs’ teammate, Chandler Smith by 124 factors within the standings.
With the victory, Riggs claims the seventh Playoff place based mostly on race wins. Solely 4 extra common season races stay to resolve which 10 drivers will compete for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Collection championship.
